


Shadows Fade in the Daylight

by Rose_Quill



Series: RWBY: College AU [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bmblb, Bumbleby Week 2020 (RWBY), F/F, F/M, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Side whiterose for later use., Slow Burn, Wolf Faunus Weiss Schnee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:08:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24518173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Quill/pseuds/Rose_Quill
Summary: College AU, but more or less similar (semblances still exist, but less combat training). Blake and Yang have started to hang out, but there is still a lingering shadow in Blake's past that haunts her.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Series: RWBY: College AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1961998
Comments: 10
Kudos: 93





	1. Thunder

They ran, frantically trying to reach the safety of the dorms before the storm fully dumped it’s fury on them. They were already rather soaked, but since the gods of weather had no mercy, they fell a little short when the hard driven rain slammed to the ground.

“Ah, damn it all,” Yang swore, wringing her hair out in the shelter of the dorm entrance awning. “So close. Sorry, Blake, I completely mistimed it all.”

When she turned to her partner, all she was was matted, wet black hair, pinned back ears, and an incredible glower.

“I. _Hate_. Storms.” she grated out, flailing her arms to try and dry out her coat. Then she sneezed.

It was cute.

“Come on, sourpuss,” Yang said, draping an arm over the Faunus’ shoulders. “Let’s get out of these before we catch a cold.”

“I left my bag in the car, though. I don’t have any dry clothes, Yang.”

The tall blonde waved her hand idly. “No big, you can borrow some of mine till we get everything through the dryer.”

Unseen by her companion, Blake's ears perked up a little.

“I suppose that’ll work,” she said, following her friend into the elevator.

*****

Yang wrung out her wet hair some more, the sounds of the shower-head dripping momentarily drowned out by the stream of her hair. As much as she loved it, it was a mess to try and dry it. Her semblance may have fire visuals, but it did _diddly_ for drying things. She pulled on her robe and grabbed a couple of alligator clips to hold her hair off her shoulders.

When she came out of the small bathroom suite and into her room proper, she saw Blake lounging on the bed, a book pilfered from the stack she left here opened in her hands. She had on one of Yang’s overlarge buttoning shirts and a pair of loose pants with an embroidered bee on one leg. She had tied the shirt at the waist, revealing her trim belly, a small scar on her hip that she never talked about visible. Her long hair had been braided and wrapped around her head, a few flyaways framing her face.

Yang could stare at that scene forever.

“Feel better?” the dark-haired girl asked. “I know you hate being cold.”

“Oh, yeah,” Yang replied. “Much better. Those warm enough for you?”

Blake glanced away for a moment, a slight tint coloring her cheeks. “Yes,” she whispered.

Yang frowned. “What is it? Did I hand you something that needed a wash?”

Blake waved her hand.

“No, no,” she said. “They’re fine. They just… smell like you.” the last words were almost inaudible.

Yang blushed. “Is that… bad?” She hadn’t really ever noticed the couple times she stole a shirt from her dad and Ruby was much smaller that she was.

Blake smiled and pulled the collar in tight.

“Not at all.”

Breathing a relieved sigh, the blonde woman went over to her dresser and pulled out a tank and a pair of loose shorts. A loud boom of thunder shook the building and she heard a slight yelp from the girl on her bed. Turning, Yang saw Blake now on the other end of the bed, book discarded on the floor.

“Blake, are you --”

“I’m not scared of thunder,” Blake snapped back quickly. Then she glanced down shyly. “I just don’t like storms.” Her hand was on her hip, near the scar.

“Any particular reason?” Yang asked as she stepped back into the bathroom to dress. It wasn’t due to any particular sense of modesty, she and Blake had seen each other naked before before gym showers and a trip to the Faunus’ home one year for the hot springs. It was just that the bathroom retained heat longer.

“Not really.” Blake said. “It’s just…”

Yang waited for her to continue, but when she exited and hung her robe up on a hook, she saw Blake just staring out the window, fingers tracing the scar.

“You OK, kitten?” Yang asked quietly. She placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder, making the girl yelp.

“Blake?”

“It’s a long story,” Blake said as she calmed down. “I had a pretty abusive relationship before transferring here to Beacon. He would belittle me, make light of my feelings, and… other things”

When she shivered, Yang wrapped an arm around her friend. Her blood was boiling at the thought of someone mistreating this girl. Blake was an amazing, intelligent person and she wasn’t shy to admit that her life had been so much better since they had met. They may disagree on some things, but who doesn’t?

“It was during a storm that I finally decided to leave him, and in retaliation, he shoved me through a glass door, telling me that I was broken goods and no one would be as good to me as he had been.” She took a shuddering breath. “Ever since then, thunder makes me think of that night.”

“He was wrong,” Yang said.

“I know that,” Blake replied, rubbing her arms. “But sometimes--”

“He was _wrong_!” Yang growled. She shifted so she could look Blake in the eyes. “You are a wonderful, great woman with so much to offer anyone! I love how much you love reading, that light you get in your eye when a really good hook gets revealed.”

Blake tried to interject but Yang had a good head of steam going.

“You wreck the curve for most of the classes we have, and that makes me want to work harder. I also can’t think of what things would have been like if we hadn’t met. My life’s just been so enriched knowing you.”

She pulled the surprised Faunus into a hug, one hand on the back of her head Blake stiffened for a second until she heard Yang speaking gently.

“I don’t like people who put down those I love,” she whispered. “Even if you’re talking about yourself. If anyone ever does that again, I’ll be there to straighten them out.”

Blake sat there in surprise. No one had ever told her so many positive traits about herself, though keeping mostly to herself might have had a part to play in that.

So when she found her arms coming up and hugging Yang tightly, a few tears slipping free, it wasn’t a complete surprise.

Yang just held her as the dark-haired girl let go a lot of pain, feeling safe in the well-muscled arms.

“Now, I know you don’t like storms because of some bad memories,” Yang said as she rubbed her friends back. “But what if we replace them with some good ones?”

Blake sat back a moment, sniffling.

“What did you have in mind?”

“Ever had a slumber party?”

“No.”

Yang reached over and snatched her phone from it’s charging cradle, scrolling to Ruby’s number.

“Then you’re in for a surprise.”

*****

Blake woke up sometime in the early predawn hours, looking around confusedly for a moment. She wasn’t in her bed, and she was nestled up next to someone. As her eyes focused, she saw that Yang was leaning against the wall, head tilted to the side as she slept. Ruby was over on her bed, one leg hanging off and one of the bags of snacks she had brought on the ground. Her girlfriend Weiss was tucked into the petite girl, proper even in sleep. A fluffy white tail was draped over Ruby’s legs and Blake saw her ear twitch as Ruby let out a soft snore.

Blake smile and ran a hand along her legs to work a kink out when she felt the embroidery on the pant leg. She glanced down and smiled at the bee and it’s bright colors.

She glanced at Yang again before tucking back into her side. With her bright yellow hair and the black tank she was wearing, she certainly looked like a bee. And bees were gentle and beneficial for nature, her mother kept a small apiary after all.

Maybe this one bumblebee would be good to hang around too.


	2. Gym

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang gets an idea of just how Blake got her Scholarship for Beacon University

The sounds of fists hitting leather filled Blake’s ears. She rounded the corner to find Yang working out on a heavy bag, sweat flowing freely down her face, matting some of the hair to her forehead. The crop top she wore showed the toned stomach just as freely as the workout shorts showed the flex of her legs as she moved around in front of the bag.

Blake suddenly felt a little warm, despite having just entered the cool room.

Yang stopped and picked up a towel, patting her face dry before noticing the Faunus. 

“Oh, hey Blake!” she chirped cheerily. “Come to get a workout?”

As her thoughts caught up, Blake nodded, moving towards a set of uneven bars. 

“Yeah,” she replied, trying to hide the blush on her face from some of the thoughts flitting through her mind. “Thought I’d just do a little before we left for spring break.”

“Same here. As much as I love seeing Dad, his idea of a workout space is a log and a pile of wood. Kinda wanted to get in some weight training while I could. You still coming?”

Blake nodded as she shucked her overshirt, leaving her in a form-fitting tank. “I’d planned on it, especially since you agreed to come to Menagerie and actually be there when my parents had a few minutes.” She eyed the lower of the two bars as she wrapped her hands and started some warm up stretches. 

Yang had to look away for a moment, since seeing Blake in tight gymnastic clothing had her thinking about things other than working out. She cleared her throat and headed for a bench with a rack of dumbbells next to it, trying not to stare. Yes, they were dating, but staring felt wrong.

Blake, meanwhile, had finished stretching and had dipped her hands into a bag of chalk hung near the bars and hopped up. Once she had a secure grip, she jackknifed her body up and around till she was leaning over the bar. After a moment, she glanced over at Yang. 

“You mind spotting me?” 

Yang looked up, frowning. 

“I’m not sure how to spot for -”

“You catch me if I slip off, sort of,” Blake pushed up so that she was held to the bar by her hands, legs stretched out and toes pointed. “More on the higher bar than this low one.”

Yang stood and nodded, replacing the weights she had grabbed. 

“I’ve got you, kitten,” she said.

But as Blake began working the span, she fell speechless. She had known Blake had gotten in on a gymnastics scholarship, but she had never seen her practice. The lithe Faunus rotated and flipped between the two bars in a swift and fluid pace, sometimes going vertical over the bar and hand-walking herself one way or the other, swapping her grip to spin the opposite way. The longer the routine went on, the less Yang thought that she’d have to catch the girl and just enjoyed the spectacle of another trained athlete.

Suddenly, as soon as it had started, it was over, Blake dismounting with a flair, hands up in the air. Applauding, Yang snagged her girlfriend’s towel and handed it to her as they stepped off the mat.

“That was pretty amazing,” Yang said. “I never really saw anyone use these, so I admit I wasn’t sure how it worked.”

Blake blushed beyond the flush of exercise and her ears tilted down a little.

“I kind of missed a beat, near the end,” Blake admitted as she dried her face. “Extended when I should have tucked.”

“You’d never know it,” Yang said, reaching up and feeling the bar, expecting it to be a little soft from the way it had flexed during the routine but was surprised to find it rigid and solid.

“Well, I’ve been at it since I was six,” Blake remarked before taking a long pull from her water bottle. “First time I’ll be competing on a mixed team though.”

Yang saw her ears tilt back. 

“Problems in paradise?”

“No, not really,” Blake sighed and draped her towel over her shoulder. “One of the girls was cut from the team and is convinced the only reason I’m on the traveling team is because I’m a cat Faunus and have an easier time with this. She should take another look at Sun next time we have a meet. Now he’s got it easy.”

Yang nodded. She had classes with the monkey Faunus and she had seen his abs more than once. She had also done a week worth of core exercises later. Completely unrelated, of course.

“Does it bother you?” 

Blake shook her head, ears rising again. “No,” she said. “I’ve busted my tail to get in Beacon and on the team. They don’t let that many sophomores travel, but I made the scores needed. I’m not going to let a petty girl that slacks off in practice get to me.”

“Good,” Yang said, leaning forward and resting her forehead against Blake’s. “You’re going to see me in the stands next time. Promise.”

A small sound slipped from Blake’s throat before she could choke it back.

“Was that a purr?” 

“No.”

“It was, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t purr.”

“Then what was that, then?”

“Growling, friendly like.”

“Sure thing, kitten.”

“I swear, Xiao Long,” Blake said, eyes narrowing. “If you tell a soul I will murder you.”

“Lips are sealed,” Yang said, crossing her heart. She then took a step back. “I have a few more things to do before I’m done. Want to spot me?”

Blake smiled. “Yang, how am I supposed to spot you? You bench more than I can lift for reps.”

Yang smiled.

“I’ll take it easy today.”

******

As the showers belched forth steam into the locker room, Yang growled as she scrubbed her hair dry. It was a wild mess, but it somehow always got that way, no matter what she did. She pulled a brush from her locker and glanced over at Blake, who was pulling on a boot, hair already braided and pinned around the crown of her head.

“You want to do anything tonight?” Yang asked.

“Like what?” Blake responded, tilting an ear towards the blonde.

“Well, Ruby and Weiss are planning to go see that new rom-com in the theater. We could see if there is something that piques our interest.”

“Sounds like fun,” Blake said, smiling. “And it gets me out of my room. Pyrrha’s been having her boyfriend over to study lately and they are starting to study less and less.”

“Sounds like it's a good thing I split with Ruby. The worst that happens when Weiss is over is her practicing for her recitals while Ruby pours over her engineering homework.”

“I have trouble seeing her as focused enough for that sometimes.” Blake admitted.

“Same, but she did skip two years of school and she is nuts for tech.” Yang shrugged before shoving her feet into her boots. “Ideas for a movie?”

Blake came over and wrapped an arm around Yang's.

“Something silly sounds good,” she purred. “Let’s see what’s playing when we get there.”

Yang smiled, feeling a bit of heat rise to her cheeks to match the same flush on Blake’s face.

“It’s a plan, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just a little bit of fluff and a hint of the background characters. If interested, the teams are in school for the following programs:
> 
> Yang - Physical Therapy  
> Ruby - Electrical engineering  
> Wiess - Music Performance, voice  
> Blake - Political Sciences  
> Jaune - Education  
> Pyrrha - History  
> Ren - Archeology  
> Nora - Broadcast technology  
> Sun - General Studies
> 
> It doesn't really have any bearing on the story, just some fun little background info.


	3. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Blake and Yang arrive at Patch for Spring Break, Blake gets a call from someone she thought she had left behind

“Sure beats a taxi, huh?” Yang crowed as she pulled into the yard of a small cottage in the backwoods of Patch. 

“For a crazy person,” Blake retorted, divesting herself from the confining helmet. Her ears wiggled for a moment, reveling in the feeling of being free again. 

“That’s not a no,” Yang shot back. 

Blake’s phone started ringing. She answered it, climbing off the back of Yang’s motorcycle as the blonde killed the motor and shook out her hair.

“Hello, my love,” came the voice in response. Blake tensed, ears wilting as she covered her mouth with her hand. 

“Adam,” she whispered horrified, alerting Yang to the issue.

“I’m glad to see you remember me, my darling.” His voice dripped with sarcasm and scorn. “After all, after you left me like that, I wondered if you had replaced me with your new friends. Especially the blonde.”

“How did you even get this number?” Blake hissed. “Leave us alone.”

“Oh, leave us alone, is it? After I wondered where you were for six months? I was worried for you. I’m hurt, Blake.”

“Is everything ok?” Yang asked, loudly enough to be heard over the line.

“So, you’re with one of your friends now? It’s rather late.” The suspicion practically pooled in his voice. “Isn’t Beacon out for spring break? Shouldn’t you be heading home?”

“It isn’t your business, Adam,” Blake growled. “Don’t call me again.”

She ended the call and pocketed her phone again before she started shaking.

“You ok?” Yang asked, pulling her into a hug.

Blake pressed into the other woman, taking some solace in her warmth and presence. 

“It’s nothing,” Blake said. “Let’s just go in, your dad’s probably waiting.

Yang peered into her eyes, but the amber glow didn’t reveal anything.

“If you say so. C’mon, Casa del Xiao Long is right this way. And don’t worry, Ruby has Zwei for the break. She and Weiss adore that little troublemaker.”

Blake smiled. 

“Well, that’s something.”

****

The kitchen smelled of spices and dried herbs and featured a humming Taiyang Xiao Long mock dancing as he slid back and forth between a pot on the stove and one of the cupboards, a pair of earphones tucked in tight. Yang shook her head and motioned for Blake to be quiet. Setting her bag down, she went over and picked up a jar from the counter.

Taiyang did a slow spin and opened his eyes to find his eldest daughter standing there with the next ingredient for the dish he was making. He grinned sheepishly and pulled the earbuds out, a catchy pop song heard for a moment before he silenced it.

“Hey, little dragon,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Since the oregano,” Yang laughed. “You remember Blake?”

“Of course,” he said.

“Nice to see you again,” Blake said, accepting the hug. The whole family was made of huggers, it seemed. It was nice, somehow. “And you didn’t have to make dinner for us, I know it’s rather late.”

“Oh, no,” Taiyang said. “This is for lunch tomorrow. I like letting it simmer overnight to thicken up and for the flavors to marry nicely. Makes it tastier.”

“Oooh,” Yang said, drifting over to the pot and taking a sniff. “Still trying to replicate Mom’s chili?”

“Yup! Summer Rose’s chili extraordinaire,” her dad puffed out his chest. “I think I might have finally figured out the secret spice. Now maybe tomorrow if I can convince my sunny little dragon to make some of her bread tomorrow, it’ll be a perfect meal.”

“Bread?” Blake asked as Yang pumped her fist and started rummaging in the cupboards.

“She makes this bread that is just perfect with chili.” He watched his eldest set aside a few items to the side. “And it takes a lot of kneading, something I’ve never had patience for.”

“Isn’t it dangerous to leave a pot going overnight, though?” Blake asked.

“Oh, I don’t leave it on the stove. I’ve rigged an old crock pot to hold it and keep it at a very low simmer. When I get up in the morning I’ll move it back to the stove and add the last ingredients.” He went and pulled a teapot out, filling it with water.

“Now, how about we just relax for a bit. If I know my daughter, she probably broke a few traffic laws on her way out here.”

“Dad,” Yang said, pulling out a chair and sitting on it the wrong way, one arm just hanging down the back. 

“At least it isn’t the baby album, Yang,” he retorted. “Though, if you would rather…”

“No!”

****

The moon was missing tonight, giving an uninhibited view of the cosmos. Blake traces the shapes of constellations she had learned as a child, fingering the sleeve of the sweatshirt she had on. It was one of Yangs, ‘stolen’ from the closet before they had left for Patch. The warmth and smell of the other girl helped give her a grounding as memories she couldn’t block out seam before her. 

How had Adam gotten her number? She hadn’t given it to anyone outside of the school and her closest friends. 

Of course, he had somehow managed to get ahold of some other information in the past. He seemed to have connections that she’d rather not think about. 

“Blake?”

The Faunus jumped in surprise, leaving a shadow of herself for a moment. Seeing Yang at the door with a folded blanket, she rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. 

“Sorry,” she apologized. “Lost in thoughts.”

“It have anything to do with that phone call earlier?” Yang asked as she put the blanket down on the guest bed and sat, looking at her. 

“That’s part of it.” Blake looked out the window again, scanning the sky. “I didn’t think it would be so easy to get away. I just didn’t think he’d be able to catch up this soon.”

“Why haven’t you gone to the police, Blake? Get a restraining order?”

“Besides the fact that most police officers still don’t take Faunus seriously, or that they’d say it’s just a lovers spat and not their business?” Blake clicked her tongue, ears tilting forward in her anger. “And he’d just look for reasons to get close without violating the wording of the thing.”

“Seriously?” Yang shook her head. “What is with him?”

“You ever look at someone and they suddenly embody a concept or a word to you?” Blake asked. As Yang shook her head, Blake came and sat next to her. 

“When I first meet Adam, I thought he was ‘passion’, but over time I began to see I was wrong. Everything I had ignored started to pile up, and I realized that he was ‘spite’. Not hate or rage, though he had those tendencies. Pure, unadulterated spite.”

She shivered and Yang wrapped an arm over her. 

“And I ran. Didn’t do anything more than that. Running seems to always be my way out. Even my semblance! I was born with an ability that leaves an empty copy of me so I can run.”

She buried her face in her hands. 

“But not from this. From him.”

Yang wasn’t sure what to say. Part of her wanted to comfort her girlfriend and another wanted to go find this Adam and pulp his face. Her semblance was straining against her control, the room shimmering slightly letting her know her eyes had shifted to crimson. 

“I wish I knew what to say,” Yang whispered, draping an arm over the Faunus girl’s shoulder. “But know that I’ve got your back, alright? You need me, you just call and I’ll come over. Any time day or night.”

Blake shrugged deeper into the embrace. Yang always complained that her semblance was useless, but right now she was radiating heat that Blake found soothing. It washed the tension out of her shoulders and warmed the chill in her stomach. 

Slim fingers reached up and gripped the hem of Yang’s sleeve. “Could you…”

Blake hesitated. 

Yang waited, rubbing her hand along Blake’s arm. She wasn’t going to push. She’d give the other girl all the time she needed. 

“Could you stay with me tonight?” The cat Faunus whispered. “Just until I fall asleep?”

Yang smiled. 

“Sure thing, kitten.”


	4. Secret Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s a garden/where I go/if you meet me there no one will know...

When Yang woke up the next day, she saw she was in the guest room and kneeling by the bedside. Blake was still asleep, her mouth slightly open as she let out purr-like snores. 

Yang just smiled at the girl. It was adorable how she looked, even with a small wet spot on the pillow from drool. It would have been peaceful if she didn’t have a death grip on her right arm. She had stayed because Blake has been worked up over the phone call she had received and didn’t want to fall asleep alone, despite their not really having moved to that stage in The relationship yet 

She felt the heat in her belly flare at the thought of someone inflicting that kind of torment on one of her friends. But just as her temper began to rise, she sighed and forced it back down. So far it wasn’t like she had anything she could do about it besides being there for Blake. 

If Adam tried anything with her around, though...

“Yang!” came the voice of her father. “Breakfast is in ten minutes. Wake up your girlfriend and get ready!”

She felt her face flush a little and she tugged at her arm. Blake gave out a soft whine and doubled down on her grip, ears flattening on her head.

Yang huffed, and stood up. The change in angles freed her arm and also rolled the sleepy Faunus onto her back, startling her out of her sleep.

“Wha?” She mumbled, reaching up to wipe at her chin as her ears swiveled around.

“Breakfast time,” Yang said lightly, hoping that the sleep addled girl wouldn’t notice she still had the clothes from yesterday on. “Go freshen up and I’ll keep Dad from putting coffee in your cup.”

As Blake gathered up her toiletries, Yang slipped into her own room to change quickly. As she headed downstairs, she took a moment to notice how much the house she was raised in seemed different now. 

Without Ruby or Zwei here, there was a stillness that pervaded every inch of the building, but at the same time she could faintly hear the birdsong from outside. She wondered how Dad was handling having an empty house now, filled with only occasional visits from his daughters and his late second wife. 

Yang froze on the bottom step and glanced at a picture hanging there, one of Taiyang, Qrow, and Summer Rose. They all looked so young and were laughing at something. She noticed, with some bitterness, that her own mother was conspicuously absent from many photos. Raven Branwen was not a topic that was mentioned in this household. For most intents and purposes, Summer had been Yang’s mother: baker of cookies and slayer of monsters under the bed. 

But despite the twinge of sadness the picture spawned, it gave birth to an idea.

She sighed thoughtfully and continued her trek to find an unsuspected form in the kitchen with her father.

“Hey, Weissicle,” she chirped as she swept over and gave the wolf Faunus a hug. “What brings you by?”

Though she rolled her eyes at the nickname, Weiss had an easy smile on her face as she cradled her cup of coffee.

“Ruby forgot Zwei had a vet appointment today, so we made a quick trip here before heading out.”

“And you’re here why?”

Weiss’ ears tilted forward and her tail stiffened slightly. “It’s a vet visit, Yang. I didn’t need to be there and —“

“It’s an uneasy feeling for some Faunus, especially with some hate groups claiming for us to be just animals.” Blake came in, wearing a baggy tee she probably ‘borrowed’ from Yang and plain leggings. “Ruby probably wanted to spare her that. Hi Weiss.”

“Hello Blake,” Weiss returned warmly. “And you’re correct. Especially after enduring my sperm donor’s thinly veiled hate until I moved away, I’m more of a mind to spend the day with those that are more like the family I wanted growing up.” She gave Yang a sideways smirk. “Even if I have to put up with you and your dad’s puns.”

“Hey!” Both Yang and Tai shouted at the same time.

***

Breakfast was an odd event to Blake. Even after Ruby had shown up, things didn’t seem crowded at the small table. It felt _right_ , for lack of a better word. She was reminded of dinners back home with Mom and Daddy and Auntie Sienna, warm laughter and good natured teasing that game from genuine caring. 

She stayed quiet and unobtrusive mostly, hiding smiles behind her teacup as Ruby and Yang... were Ruby and Yang. Bacon and croissants were made into impromptu mustaches as they imitated various professors.

“You seem content,” Weiss notes softly as Yang launched into a rather realistic facsimile of Professor Port’s rambling lecture voice.

“It’s... nice to see things like this.” The cat Faunus returned, pitching her voice so only Weiss could pick it up as the family burst into loud laughter.

“I wasn’t referring to the familial peace and warmth,” the socialite said. “You positively glow more than you have recently and I keep getting more and more whiffs of Yang coming from you. Raiding her closet?”

Blake pulled the collar of her shirt up to hide behind slightly.

“They’re warm,” she mumbled.

Weiss smiled.

“Warmer than any of our own clothes,” she nodded, picking at her jeans. “Ruby hasn’t noticed yet, but her jeans fit me fabulously.”

“I thought those looked familiar!” Ruby crowed suddenly, standing up with a foot on her chair, pointing at her girlfriend. “And I happen to think they look fantabulous on you!”

Weiss gave a very unladylike snort, ears flicking down in shy embarrassment.

“That’s not a word, you dolt,” she fired back. 

Sadly, though, breakfast ended with Ruby and Weiss leaving. She knew she’d see them again in a few weeks, but it still made her sigh wistfully as she helped with the breakfast dishes.

“Say, Blake?” Yang asked as she hung up the dish towel. “Would you mind following me for a minute?” 

Blake frowned. Yang wasn’t normally this nervous. “Sure,” she drawled, giving the blonde a small frown.

“Come on,” Yang said, slipping on her boots and stepping outside.

Blake followed her, taking in the sight of the Xiao Long stead in full daylight. Rows of raised flowerbeds framed the yard, giving multi-hued patterns to the grounds. She couldn’t identify half of them, but she saw small beds with herbs, carefully labeled types of ivy, and a few very carefully tended rose bushes bearing both red and white buds starting to grow.

Further out, what she had thought were random trees the evening before, turned out to be small copses of fruit trees laden with budding blossoms. She sniffed and picked up both apple and cherry on the light breeze.

“It’s a wonder, isn’t it?” Tai asked, straightening from one bed, brushing dirt from his hands.

“It’s gorgeous,” she agreed. It was the largest garden she had seen at a private residence, but that wasn’t saying much. “I can’t imagine the amount of work it took to create this.” 

“Well, that’s the joy of being a semi-retired teacher,” Tai smirked. “You can wind up with a lot of free time.”

“Whatcha planting, Dad?” Yang asked, noting the tiny plants her father had been transferring from small pots to the soil.

“Couple tomato plants, some bell peppers, and a good hot pepper bush.”

“Ooooh, I’d better get some of that’s crop,” the blonde grinned, making Blake hide a small smile.

“Sure thing, Firecracker,” he said, turning back to his garden as Yang took Blake’s hand and started leading her into the grove of trees.

“As nice as Dad’s garden is, it isn’t what I wanted to show you,” Yang commented. After a few minutes, she stopped in front of a series of boulders near a cliff face.

“You brought me out here to see some rocks?” Blake remarked wryly.

Yang tolled her eyes and scrabbled up the side of one.

“Come on,” she grinned. “It’ll be worth it, trust me.”

Blake shrugged and nimbly followed Yang up onto the boulders and then slid down the other side to find a large cave entrance. She followed the other girl through it as it opened to a large plateau overlooking the sea the surrounded most of Patch.

And it was awash with wildflowers; yellows and greens and blues and reds waved lazily in the sea breeze and butterflies and bees flitted about the flowers, paying the two students no mind.

“It’s a special place of mine,” Yang said as she stepped forward, a stalk of lavender brushing her knee. “A secret garden that only Mom and I knew about.”

“Yang,” Blake whispered.

“It’s not much, and some years it doesn’t look quite as pretty, but every chance I get I come out here just to unwind. Meditate, maybe do some asanas or mindful breathing.”

Yang ran a hand over a clump of bluebells that dangled haphazardly from a small rock shelf. 

“It might be mostly Mom’s influence, but here in the springtime, in the sun, I can be alone with myself. But I want to share this with you, too.”

“This is too much,” Blake stammered, the breathtaking view of the sea, the saltiness of the breeze mingling with the aroma of dozens of wildflowers, and a sheepish Yang were more than she had been prepared for.

“I’m not big on grand speeches,” Yang continued. “That’s more Ruby or Weiss’ thing. But they say actions speak louder than words, so I guess I’ll let the view do the talking.”

The two girls simply stood and gazed at each other, one filled with nervous fear and the other hesitant hope.

And for the first time since arriving, Blake felt truly alone with Yang, all her worries draining away to be replaced with the serenity that this cove exuded.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Yang grinned and scratched her flushing cheek. 

“You’re welcome, Blake.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come on, did you really expect me to not reference the song? 
> 
> So I think this will end at seven chapters, but I’m not going to set that because you never know!
> 
> Sorry for long lengths between updates, work and life stuff kinda got in the way.
> 
> Also, because I tend to write entire interconnected AUs, keep an eye out for a WhiteRose fic soon.


	5. Thus Kindly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Patch portion of their vacation is over, but there's one last thing to do before heading to Menagerie...

It seemed that all too soon, the spring vacation in Patch had ended. As Yang loaded the bags onto her motorcycle, Blake was returning a hug to Taiyang. 

“Thank you so much for letting us stay,” she said as she pulled back.

“Nonsense,” the older man said. “Yang’s my daughter and will always have a home here, just as anyone she brings with her. Now you have fun on your way to Menagerie, and don’t let her bully your parents too much.”

The Faunus laughed. “I’d almost pay to see that,” she replied.

“All right, all loaded.” Yang came back and wrapped her arms around her father. “You stay out of trouble, old man,” she said.

“I’d tell you the same, but I doubt you’d listen.” He teased as they pulled apart, gesturing at some clipped roses. “Make sure you go say hi to your mother before you go, ok?”

Yang nodded. “I will.”

Blake couldn’t help but perk her ears up. She had thought Ruby and Yang’s mother had passed. That was the general feel she had gotten. Had she been wrong?

Yang reached out and took her hand. “Come on,” she said. “It’s a short trip.”

The blonde led her along a well-tread path out to a cliff face, bare to the sea breeze. A few weather worn roses lay on the ground near a white marble stone. A rose was carved into its face above a few words.

_Summer Rose  
“Thus kindly I scatter.”_

“Looks like Ruby was here before she and Weiss left again.” Yang said, reaching down and arranging the roses she brought with the older ones in a small slot in the stone. The flowers rustled gently in the wind as Yang ran her fingers over the memorial.

“She wasn’t really my mom,” Yang said. “She was Dad’s second marriage, and they had Ruby about a year or so after they were married. But she raised me as though I was her own, and I even called her Mom.” 

She sniffed and stood, looking out at the sea.

“But in every way, Summer was just… Mom. I’ll always remember her gentle laugh and smile as easily as Ruby remembers her cookies. Rubes and I were pretty young when she got sick. She really doesn’t remember a lot outside of the hospital trip, she was a bit too young. I barely remember much more, but I remember that even sick and stuck in a hospital bed, she never lost that smile. I figured that if nothing else, I’d try to copy that, and so did Ruby. No matter how bad things seem, we try to keep a smile. But I do worry about Dad sometimes. Losing two wives hit him hard, and now with Ruby and I out of the house for college, I hate thinking of him sitting in that house with only photos and sometimes Zwei to keep him company. That’s why I come out here for breaks instead of some of the more exotic trips like Velvet and Coco tried to get us to go on.”

Blake reached up and rubbed her girlfriend’s shoulders. 

“Yang,” she whispered. “That’s fine. Your home is lovely and it’s surrounded by a gorgeous landscape. And I adore your dad, humor aside. I’m fine if we come out just to check on him and pay respects to your mother. It’s important to you, and even if I can’t come with you, I’ll understand if you want to visit when you can.”

Yang reached up and squeezed one of the hands that had come to rest on her shoulder.

“Thanks, kitten,” she said. She glanced off to the side and nodded, sniffing one last time. “If we’re going to make the ferry, we’d better go now.”

Blake nodded, stepping back to give privacy as Yang knelt to give the flowers one last adjustment, whispering before running her fingers over the stone that memorialized her mother one last time.

“Ok, kitten,” she said, her sunny smile on her face despite some redness in her eyes. “Let’s hit the road.”

Blake followed her, smiling.

“One thing, though, Yang,” she said as they approached the bike.

“What’s up?”

Blake pulled on her helmet.

“When we’re at my parent’s place, _don’t _call me kitten. My dad used to call me that and I kind of made him promise not to call me that anymore when I turned 14.”__

__Yang smirked._ _

__“I understand perfectly.”_ _

__The motorcycle rumbled to life and they headed for the ferry._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. You had to know this was coming up after the previous chapter. Sorry about the long wait, things get hectic around my place this time of year.


	6. Menagerie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And here in Kuo Kuana, Yang prepares for the biggest challenge of her life:
> 
> Dragging Blake out of a bookstore.
> 
> Nah, it's time to meet the OTHER parents.

Yang looked around as the hot sun beamed down, adjusting her aviators. Faunus milled about in the street, dressed in a myriad of clothing, and the buildings that lined the road advertised the businesses they housed in bright neon: several restaurants, small boutiques, a barbershop, and a bookstore.

She was currently standing outside the last, having finally coaxed her girlfriend to the register so the harried clerk could ring up the sizable stack she had chosen. Blake in a bookstore was like Ruby was to a sweet shop, but not quite as difficult to deal with in the aftermath.

Blake came out, holding a large bag that had the imprint of books on its canvas sides, waving back to the clerk as the door swung shut again.

“Sorry,” she said, leaning against Yang with a soft nuzzle. “I know I get a little carried away sometimes.”

Yang smiled and gave the cat Faunus a playful nudge with an elbow as they walked back to her motorcycle. The bright yellow paint job gleamed in the bright sun, and Yang popped open a storage compartment under the saddle, a space just large enough to stash the recent book haul without having to undo any of the luggage.

“I’m just glad we got here early,” Yang offered. “Any later and we might have missed dinner at your folks’ place.”

Blake smiled slyly as she pulled on her helmet.

“I’m sure you’d be just heartbroken at having to wait for another time to meet my folks.”

Yang chuckled nervously.

“You can’t blame me,” she retorted. “Your dad’s the mayor and your mom is a pretty big deal in charity circles from what Weiss has said. It’s a little intimidating.”

“I’m sure Daddy will love to hear that,” Blake said, gesturing at the bike. “But time waits for no one, and delaying will only make things worse.”

Yang sighed and climbed onto the bike and thumbed the starter.

“True enough.”

*********

The door flew open nearly as soon as Blake had taken her hand away from the doorbell, revealing a woman roughly the same age as Taiyang, clad in a simple silk blouse and sharply fitted slacks. Though there were some subtle differences - such as some laugh lines, gray creeping in through the locks of dark hair, and several piercings in her tall cat ears - It was obvious that this woman was related to Blake. A few years either way and they could almost be mistaken as siblings.

“Blake!” the woman said happily as she hugged the younger woman. “It’s so good of you to come. Is this Yang?”

Yang rubbed her neck as she was scanned by the mother. She felt like the bright yellow eyes were staring deep into her soul.

“Yes, Mom,” Blake said, slipping her arm through Yang’s. “Try not to let Daddy terrorize her too much.”

They both giggled a little at the joke, but Yang felt a small trickle of sweat trickle down her neck that had nothing to do with the heat. Her fight or flight instinct was starting to lean towards flight. But she had promised, and she wasn’t going to break a promise.

No matter how terrifying a prospect was.

“Oh, stop shaking like a bird,” Blake’s mother laughed. “We’re quite harmless. Come in, and I’ll fix us some tea.”

“Thank you, Mrs Belladonna.” Yang said, stepping in behind Blake and following suit when the cat Faunus removed her shoes in the lowered entryway.

“Oh, please,” the woman called from a little deeper inside the house. “Call me Kali. And the way Blake talks about you on the _rare_ occasion that she calls, you’re practically family. I don’t let family call me Misses.”

Blake was blushing, ears tilted down at the thinly veiled admonition her mother had just sent her way while welcoming Yang. “I have a pretty full schedule,” she offered weakly as she and Yang settled onto a plush couch.

“I have no doubt of that,” Kali said as she entered the living room with a tray laden with four tall cups that looked to have been recently made, the shine on the glazed clay gleaming in the light filtering in through the windows. A pot of similar look dominated the center of the tray and Kali poured steaming tea into each cup before handing it to each guest. Yang could smell the sweet aroma of chamomile from her cup as she raised it for a sip. “Just like I have no doubt your route here today took you by the bookstore.”

Blake’s blush deepened and Yang nodded, smiling.

“So, Yang, tell me about yourself.” Kali said behind the rim of her cup, held with one hand underneath as she took a sip.

“I, ah, I’m not sure where to start. I’m not sure what Blake’s told you.” Yang stammered.  
“What are you studying, maybe?”

“I'm in the pre-med program, planning on entering the physical therapy program after I finish my bachelors. It’s a pretty intense program and competition for the school are pretty intense, but I think I can handle it.”

“Oooh,” Kali looked at Blake with a smirk. “A doctor-to-be.”

“Mom,” Blake groaned. “You promised.”

“I promised I’d behave, little one,” she giggled. “I never said I wouldn’t tease you a bit.” She turned her gaze back towards Yang. “I hope you’re not driving yourself into the ground trying to study and work at the same time, dear.”

“I’m not doing too bad. My dad is on the faculty at a satellite campus, so we get a bit of a discount there and I have a sports scholarship that covers a fair bit of the rest. Any work I do is for living expenses and I have my little sister as a roommate.”

“Your sister? Twins?”

“No, Ruby skipped a year in grade school and another in high school.” Yang smiled. “The girl is seriously super smart, and I’m proud as can be of her. I know Dad and our Uncle Qrow are.”

Kali frowned. “What about your mother?”

“Mom,” Blake said quickly.

“No, it’s ok, Blake.” Yang patted her girlfriend’s knee. “She’d know eventually.” She faced back to Kali, taking a deep breath.

“My mother left my dad not long after I was born. Ruby is technically my half sister, but when Dad married Ruby’s mom, she adopted me as well. She passed away when I was seven, but she never once made me feel anything but loved.”

Kali covered her mouth with a hand.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

Yang cut her off. “It’s fine. Blake didn’t even know until we were leaving to head here. Besides, I -”

She was cut off by the door swinging closed and a large shadow falling over her.

“Who’s this?” a low voice grumbled.

Yang slowly turned to stare up at the mountain of a panther Faunus standing behind her.

“Daddy!” Blake cried, jumping up and rushing to hug the man.

“Hey, little one,” he said, sweeping her up in his arms like a small child.

“Ghira, dear,” Kali said. “This is Yang. Blake was kind enough to invite her out for part of spring break. Try not to scare her away.”

“Please, like I actually scare people away.” He put his daughter down and extended a hand towards Yang. “Ghira Belladonna, and I’d like to thank you for looking after Blake. She has a hard time with change.”

“Daddy,” Blake warned.

Yang took the hand, her own dwarfed by his. “It’s not a problem. She’s actually riding herd on me more often than the other way around.”

“That certainly sounds like her,” Ghira laughed. He reached up and loosened his tie. “I’m going to go change and take a shower, and then we’ll talk more over dinner.”

“Speaking of,” Kali said, going over to kiss her husband. “I was thinking we’d go out tonight. What do you think, Blake? Steak house, diner?”

Blake sat up straight, ears ramrod straight. “Kanto Sushi?”

The other three laughed as Blake’s love of fish showed it’s head again.

“Sushi it is,” Kali laughed, though Yang recognized the same gleam in her eye as her daughters.

“You’ll love this place, Yang,” Blake said. “The restaurant is on the water, and the fish are so fresh you practically see them brought from the ocean to the kitchen!”

“I can’t wait,” Yang said, smiling as her girlfriend acted like a child being promised a trip to a candy store.

“I can’t wait.”


	7. Shine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang and Blake decide to wander the city and end their day on the beach.

Yang stretched as she stirred, momentarily confused at her surroundings. She raked her hair back from her face as she sat up and looked around the room that the Belladonna’s had given her for her stay, and while it was comfortable, it was just a touch too fancy for Yang’s tastes. Silks and satins swathed the bed and she had been offered a yukata similar to what Blake regularly wore at night, though she had turned it down.

As she padded her way to the washroom, she rubbed her right wrist gingerly. Dinner had been delicious, and seeing Blake and her mother succumb to their love of fish had been no end of delight. The chopsticks, however, had not been kind and Yang blushed as she remembered having to be shown several times the right way to hold them.

She bumped into Blake as the Faunus stepped out from the washroom, her hair tied up in a simple style, the ends still wet and beads of water dotting her neck.

“Oh,” she said, her ears flicking. “Morning, Yang.”

“Mrgn,” Yang mumbled around a yawn.

“How is it that your dad and sister can rise so early and chipper and you look like you’re rising from the crypt?”

“Years of practice,” Yang said, leaning on the doorframe.

Blake tittered. “Well, go wash the grave dirt off. Towels are on the shelf just inside, and the bathwater is still hot. Don’t be too long though, I want to show you around today.”

Yang shot the other girl a pair of finger guns. “Sure thing. See you in a few.”

As the blonde slid the door shut, she was drawn forward by the prospect of a soak in the tub to wipe the last of the sleep fog from her mind. After rinsing and pinning her hair up, she slid into the shimmering water, sighing as the warmth leeched the lingering fatigue from her body.

*****

“So, where to, my lady?” Yang asked as they pulled on their shoes.

“Well, there are a lot of places in Kuo Kuana that might interest you.” Blake pulled her hair free from the light overshirt she had pulled on. “Plenty of markets and parks. There are even some street performers at times.”

“Sounds fun.” Yang gave one of her boots a quick tap to settle it more comfortably. “Lead on, princess.”

Blake swatted her arm. “I am _not_ a princess,” she growled. “I’m not Weiss.”

“If you want to get technical, Weiss isn’t a princess anymore,” Yang retorted as they left. “That whole blowup she had with her dad just before fall break? Pretty sure she disowned herself.”

“That would explain why she stays with Ruby on breaks instead of going home,” Blake mused. “Though I can’t blame her. Jaques Schnee is a notoriously racist prick.”

“I’m just surprised that he has a Faunus daughter. Do you think…”

Blake shook her head. “It’s not unusual for a latent gene from an ancestor to manifest in descendants. If both sides of her family had a Faunus in the last few generations, then the traits can be passed down. Though it’s extremely rare for one to wind up with two traits. Mom and I only have the ears, and Daddy wound up with claws and his size. The only other Faunus I’ve met with two major traits is my aunt Sienna.”

They walked in silence for a few moments, enjoying the warm weather and the occasional sea breeze that swept through the streets. As they stopped to watch a group of dancers, Blake suddenly glanced around, the feeling of being watched starting to prickle her skin. As they moved on and continued the tour, she got the sensation a few more times.

“Everything ok?” Yang asked as she noticed the nervous glance her companion kept doing.

“It’s… I feel like I’m being watched.”

Yang looked around. “Well, are you sure it’s not me? I’m not exactly a subtle presence.” She gave her blonde tresses a flick.

“I’m not sure.”

“Well, you are the mayor’s daughter, and you yourself said you haven’t been home recently.”

Blake toyed with a lock of her hair, ears tilting back and forth.

“Maybe you’re right.” She pointed ahead. “Let's grab a bite to eat.”

“No more fish, please!” Yang mock protested.

“If you plan on staying with me any length of time, Xiao Long, you’d best get used to it.”

Yang laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”

*****

The setting sun on the sea was just as lovely here as it had been back on Patch, but something about it seemed different. Maybe it was the sand under their feet as they walked along the beach, maybe it was the sea air, but Yang decided that she liked the view.

Especially how it glinted and sparkled in Blake’s dark hair.

“Do I have something on my face?” Blake asked, snapping her from her reverie.

“There is nothing wrong with your face,” Yang said. “It’s just how the sun is highlighting your hair. Gives you an almost angelic shine to you.”

Blake laughed. “I’m no angel, Yang.”

“Of course not,” Yang agreed. “You’re much too cute.”

They both giggled before stopping to look out at the sun as it set the sky ablaze with yellows, reds, and oranges and filling the sea with sparks on the rippling waves.

“Shame we can’t stay longer,” Yang said.

“It’s only the second day, Yang,” Blake replied. “We’re here for a week.”

“I know,” the blonde said, draping an arm over the Faunus’ shoulders. “But seeing how you are with your folks, and all the things there probably are to see here, it’ll never be enough time.”

She sighed, giving a slight tug to bring Blake a little closer. “I like spending time with you, Blake. My dad likes you, and I think your folks like me.”

“They do. Mom wouldn’t have rigged your chopsticks like that if she didn’t like you.”

“Could we not discuss that particular failing of mine?”

“And since they are letting you stay at the house instead of a hotel, I think that’s a major set of evidence.”

Yang smiled and leaned her head against her girlfriend’s. “I think we should come back over the summer.”

“You might think that, but you’ve never felt a summer here. The sea breeze just makes the humidity shoot through the roof. With that mane of yours, you’d swelter and die, and I’d rather you not.”

Yang shrugged. “We’ll see about that.”

Blake turned to face the blonde. Then, without another word, she stood up on her toes and gave Yang a soft kiss. When Yang returned the kiss, Blake pushed it a little past the chaste peck it had started as, but still gentle as she lifted her arms to wrap around Yang’s neck.

They pulled apart and rested their forehead against each other, not pulling away for a long time, the sun behind them slowly slipping out of sight.


	8. Shadows Fade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dark shadow appears

“Go Blake!” Ruby yelled, pumping an arm and causing popcorn to fly out of the small bag she held. Pyrrha chuckled as some landed on her, prompting Jaune to pick one piece out of her hair.

Weiss reached up and tugged on her girlfriend’s arm, ear sliding back slightly in embarrassment. “Sit down, you dolt,” she hissed.

“But Weiss,” Ruby countered. “I want to cheer on Blake, she’s in the finals!”

“This isn’t like my basketball games, Ruby,” Pyrrha said, threading her fingers through Jaune’s. “Gymnastic competitions tend to be slightly quieter so as not to break their focus.”

“Not that Blake needs it, honestly,” Yang said as she draped her coat over the back of her seat before plopping down. “She was so focused that she almost didn’t hear me during her warmup. I’m sure she’s going to kill this routine.”

“Well, of  _ course  _ she is!” Nora cried out, leaning forward. “She’s been hard at it since we got back from break! Ren says she’s there when he gets to the mats and still there when he leaves.”

“How’d he do in his division? I missed the scoring.” Weiss asked.

“He took second, behind Sun,” Jaune said. “He missed first by a fraction of a point.”

“Ooof,” Yang said. “Even after the Iron Cross? That’s rough.”

“He said he’d be up here in a minute to watch Blake.” Nora mused, craning her neck to watch out for the lithe man.

A speaker crackled to life, a soft voice announcing “Next up, uneven bars, for Beacon, Blake Belladonna.”

Blake stepped to the edge of the mat, toe pointed as she gave her greeting flourish. Her leotard was dark purple and muted, as opposed to the brightly colored ones of her teammates and other competitors, but it suited her. 

She stepped forward and took the support brace of the higher bar in hand, then levered herself into the air at a right angle to it, arms flexing strongly. Then she leapt forward, leaving a quickly dissolving shadow clone still on the bar as she hooked her knees around the bar, hanging from it for a moment with her arms slowly spreading out under her flowing braid. Blake reached up and took hold of the bar, pulling herself up and going into a split before spinning around and launching herself at the lower bar.

The routine was a spectacle of balance and the Faunus incorporated her Semblance once more in the set, boosting her up to the top of the shadow’s feet before dropping down in a series of flips to land on her feet, hands held up in victory as she breathed heavily.

The crowd cheered as the judges consulted and eventually entered a score of 15. Blake’s ear flicked once as she consulted her coach and went back to settle into her chair, patting her neck and chest with a towel.

Ruby, predictably, exploded as she cheered, followed just as excited by Nora. Yang and Pyrrha both stood and cheered as well, but not quite as animatedly. Jaune, Ren, and Weiss merely applauded from their seats. 

The final scores were announced and the medals given out for the top three contenders in each category. Yang met Blake outside the locker room as the Faunus exited.

“You earned it, babe,” Yang said as Blake tried for a moment to hide her medal. “Don’t be shy.”

“I didn’t do as well as I could have.” Blake said, ears starting to pin back.

“Better than I could have,” Yang countered. Truth be told, she still wasn’t completely sure how these things were scored. “And the gang wants to throw a bit of a party since all the Beacon competitors medaled.”

Blake smiled at that. “Where are we going?”

Yang smiled. “Your favorite place.”

Blake was smiling as they entered the parking garage. “Monty’s has the best fish in Vale.” she remarked.

Yang was reaching out to unlock the helmets from her bike when a bar swung down and collided with her right arm. She cried out in shock as she stumbled back, cradling the arm. Another swing caught her across the rib and arm again, a hollow popping sound echoing in the cavernous space.

‘Well, now that I have your attention,” the cool voice said, turning to Blake as he stepped from the shadows. “We should have a little chat, my love.”

Blake paled, taking an involuntary step backwards.

“Adam.”

The man tilted his head, smiling. The iron crowbar he held rested on his shoulder as he stalked forward a little.

“I’m so pleased you remember my name.” He tapped the crowbar on his shoulder. “Excellent job in the competition, by the way. Congratulations on first place.”

Blake grit her teeth as she forced her ears not to pin back. The sight of Adam made her stomach clench, but she would not back down again.

“Get away from her,” Yang growled, standing but still cradling her right arm.

Adam rolled his eyes and turned towards her. “Have you not learned? This is between me and Blake.” He pointed the crowbar at her. “I could always give you another reason to stay quiet.”

Yang’s eyes flashed red and Blake could feel the heat in the garage rise slightly.

“Everything ok?” came a voice from the stairwell.

Turning, Blake saw Ruby, Weiss, and Pyrrha standing there. Ruby looked angry, Weiss was staring coldly, her tail bristling, and Pyyrha stood in a relaxed manner, phone slipping back into her back pocket.

“This is between him and me,” Yang said, sliding her right foot back as she set herself.

Adam grinned. “Fine by me.”

Ruby caught sight of her sister’s eye and motioned for everyone to stand back, plucking at Blake’s sleeve.

Adam gave a shout and stepped forward, swinging the bar again. Yang reached up with her back hand as her hair caught fire, shocking Adam for a second. He tried to step back, but Yang had an iron grip on his weapon.

“Gotcha,” she muttered before bringing her left fist around in a swift jab that stunned the bull Faunus. As he lost his grip on his weapon and stumbled back, Yang advanced, left fist going in again to collide with his jaw.

He tried to counter, but the boxer caught his weak jab on her forearm and brought her knee up into his midsection, making him grunt and double over and stumbled back another few steps.

Yang held position for a moment, accessing her opponent’s response.

Adam straightened somewhat and scowled. “And you accuse me of being violent,” he bit.

“You went after her with a crowbar!” Blake countered, ears pointing forward in anger. “I don’t want anything to do with you!”

Adam’s eyes flashed for a moment before he glanced at Yang.

“What does she even see in you?” he growled before blasting forward with a fist raised. 

Yang parried it easily and slammed her foot into his stomach, causing him to wheeze before delivering a massive uppercut that sent him flying. 

When he staggered back to his feet, he glared at Yang before realizing he was close to Blake. He lunged forward only to be blocked by Weiss, her blue eyes glittering like hard ice. Her tail was fully bristled and she was audibly growling. 

“You’re mine, Blake,” he growled. “It doesn’t matter if your friends here protect you or not. It’s destiny.”

Blake’s ears flicked before her fist shot out and caught him across the jaw, making him stagger back in surprise.

“They’re not protecting me, Adam,” she said, her ears tilting towards one of the entryways.

“They’re distracting you.”

The sound of a siren grew in the air. Pyrrha smiled sweetly and tilted her head.

“Do you really believe in destiny?”

Adam turned to run but was brought down by a backhanded blow from Yang.

“Stay there.” she panted, eyes fading back to lilac and her hair dying. Pain flooded back into her face and she hunched over her arm.

“Yang,” Blake whispered, rushing forward to her girlfriend while Ruby tried to dissuade Weiss from leaving Adam with something to remember her by as police pulled up.

*****

Later that evening, at the hospital, Yang was staring at the ceiling when Blake came in.

“How are you feeling?”

Yang held up her right arm, encased in a cast. “They had to put a couple pins in to keep it together while it heals. Ribs were just bruised. I’ll probably be out in a bit.”

Blake kept looking down at the floor of the room, ears lowered slightly. 

“Yang, I’m…”

“Save it,” Yang said immediately. “Don’t you dare apologize for what he did. Everything was his choice, and you have no responsibility for it.”

“But you got hurt because you were with me,” she countered.

“So, it’s worse because it was me?” Yang chuckled. “It wouldn’t have happened if you had gone to the garage with Ruby or Nora?”

Blake opened her mouth to respond but Yang continued on.

“You’re my friend, and that asshole has been tormenting you for years. He’s facing charges of aggravated assault, violation of a restraining order, and assault with a weapon. With all the charges he could be put away for a long time. I don’t regret it a bit. Neither should you.”

Blake felt her cheeks heat up a bit. “Yang,” she whispered.

The blonde climbed to her feet and stepped up to the Faunus before wrapping her up in a hug.

“I don’t want you to be afraid of these shadows of your past, Blake. I can help you if you let me.”

Blake gripped her in a tight hug.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more for this fic, and that'll be a short little epilogue type.
> 
> Hope you've enjoyed this little trip. Please comment if you liked or if you want a little bit more in this verse.

**Author's Note:**

> This is hopefully going to be a slow burn instead of a flash fire. No promises. Also, my first ever BMBLB fic. Just in time for Pride Month and bumbleby week, apparently. Whoo!


End file.
